Wildlife

Adapted to running

Running and walking evolved as a method of getting around when life emerged from water on to dry land. Animals that travel about on foot usually have a particular speed of gait which is their most energy efficient. Fast running mammals, such as zebras and cheetahs, have evolved features such as long legs and a flexible spine to boost their speed.

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Weird Nature

In the desert, running on two legs gives a collared lizard the advantage.

Like a miniature tyrannosaur, the collared lizard hunts on two legs. It runs at an angle with its front legs lifted off the ground. But this lizard is more agile than any dinosaur and, size for size, it's much faster. Being smaller it gains in both speed and manoeuvrability. Most bipedal lizards live in deserts as this kind of running needs space. When hunting other lizards, two legs give it the edge.

Animal kingdom record breakers - how fast can a cheetah run, how heavy is an elephant and what's bigger than a dinosaur? Watch amazing video clips from the BBC archive and uncover the fascinating facts about our smallest primate, the longest stick insect and the most venomous snake.